Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi has declared that he will contest the 2027 presidential election, insisting that no amount of intimidation will stop him from joining the race.
Obi said the presence of numerous governors under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would not discourage him, even as he alleged that there have been orchestrated efforts aimed at dissuading him from running.
Speaking to supporters in Njikoka, Anambra State on Friday, the former Anambra governor said Nigeria was in a state of collapse and urgently required redemption through responsible leadership.
According to him, his political ambition is not driven by personal desire for power but by a commitment to building a country that works for all citizens.
“Nigeria has collapsed and already lying on the ground. Nigeria is not working because many rich Nigerians are hungry and greedy. They have everything they need, but still scavenging for more,” Obi said.
He made the remarks while addressing beneficiaries at an empowerment programme, lamenting that even wealthy individuals sometimes scramble for items meant for the less privileged.
“This is an empowerment programme, but you will be surprised that many well-to-do persons will come here to struggle for things they have no need for. Go to their compound and you will see better vehicles than the ones they are struggling for,” he stated.
Obi argued that the system in Nigeria is unfair to the poor and reiterated his vision of a country where merit and opportunity prevail.
“This country is skewed against the poor, and that is why we are working to become President. We want a country where the son of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.
The former governor emphasized that while he is not desperate to occupy the presidency, he is deeply committed to the transformation of Nigeria.
“I have always said that I’m not desperate to be the President of Nigeria, but I’m desperate to see a Nigeria that works,” he added.
Obi also addressed questions surrounding his political affiliation, revealing that he has now aligned with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following leadership disputes within the Labour Party.
“People have been asking me why I left LP, but I told them that we have been in court in Labour Party over leadership and securing favourable judgments, yet INEC refused to recognise us. But when I left on 31 December, they recognised the same orders they were rejecting,” he said.
He further alleged that ongoing constitutional adjustments were partly aimed at preventing him from contesting the next presidential election.
“You see all the things they have been tinkering with the constitution, some of them are because they don’t want me to contest. But I want to tell them that with their 30 governors, they should make the election free and fair and see who wins,” Obi said.
Reaffirming his resolve, Obi declared that he would run in the 2027 election regardless of political pressure.
“I want to announce to you all that no matter what they do, I must contest the election. Let them declare a free and fair contest, bring the ball to the middle of the field and declare it started, and let’s see what happens.”
